Bad Actors with Bad Habits
by HYPERFocused
Summary: Crossover with Smallville. Lex goes to Tahiti,and meets another dark haired young man. Slash. Originally posted on LJ.


Lex could have been anywhere tropical. The location didn't matter so much as the fact that he was there at all. A true case of "getting back on the horse that threw you."

He knew it was a good idea. Something he needed to do, needed to get through so his life would not be limited because of his fears. He could still hear his father's voice from his childhood. "Open your eyes, Lex." It was the best advice his father had ever given him.

Lex kept his eyes wide open now. It was the only way to keep ahead of all the people who worked to betray him. Sure, they coached it in terms of love, or protection, or some twisted urge to "strengthen you up, son", but he knew the truth now. There was no one that could absolutely be trusted. They were all out to fuck him, fuck him up, or fuck him over. Lex had had enough of two of those choices.

He picked the kid out of the crowd of young people dancing in the Tahitian club. Lean and lithe, with dark wavy hair streaked by the sun, he looked like he was trying hard to have a good time, but not doing a very good job of it.

He wasn't exactly dressed for the place. His white t-shirt was too frayed, and his jeans too ordinary, though the way they both fit did him more justice.

Lex said, "I like your shoes." It wasn't the slickest of opening lines, but he wasn't up to caring. Truthfully, he wasn't up to much of anything at all.

They were purple Converse All Stars, with long white laces that turned gray where they brushed the ground. Lex thought the kid was going to trip on them, until he looked more closely, and noticed how fluidly he moved.

It reminded him of Clark, a little bit. There was an enticing combination of awkwardness and grace, as if the boy was growing into his own power. Lex wondered what secrets this boy had, and who, if anyone, wanted desperately to know them. Know him. He wondered how easily the boy lied.

"Thanks, can I follow you?" Lex nodded, and indicated the club's exit. He'd had enough of the music and smoke, and it was clear the kid had too. Lex didn't ask the kid's age. If he'd managed to get in, legitimately or not, he was old enough to deal with the consequences. Besides, after three years in love with a high-school boy, Lex had no real grounds to have sudden qualms on the age thing. Presumably he was at least seventeen.

Lex didn't say anything as they walked, but the kid kept up a steady stream of meaningless patter. Lex assumed it was to cover up his nervousness, but it didn't seem to stop him from going for what he wanted. It was clear what they both were after. Lex wasn't surprised when the boy pushed him back against a tree and kissed him, though the force with which he angled their hips together was more than he expected. Lex kissed back just as strongly, hands moving down to grip the boy's ass through his jeans. His wiry strength was evident, even through the layers of denim.

In his hotel suite, Lex checked the kid out a little more thoroughly. He could see a number of small cuts and scrapes on his hands, and layers of peeling and tan that made Lex think he hadn't sailed to Tahiti on a cruise, or taken a plane.

Lex asked him his name. The kid paused a minute, like he didn't want to answer."Seth." Then he asked the time.

"Does it matter? Do you have somewhere to be?" Lex looked at his watch. "It's almost two."

Seth shook his head. "That means it's midnight back home. Ryan's probably done with his second shift."

"Ryan's your boyfriend?"

"He's - he was my almost-brother, for awhile. I wanted him to be more. I never told him how I really felt. I was too scared of how he'd react. I just fucked things up." Seth shrugged his shoulders, diminished for a moment. Lex was again reminded of Clark - the way he'd looked when Lex witnessed him letting another ridiculous lie out of his mouth. Like he was sorry, but he couldn't help himself.

"Sounds like there's a story there, if you want to tell it." He offered Seth wine, but thought he would probably prefer Mountain Dew, though Lex knew he'd never say so.

"All right," Seth started. So much for a meaningless fuck. But Lex still wanted this kid. He already liked him enough to remember his name, and feel there was something worth knowing.

"The story's sad to tell. A teenage ne'er do well… sorry. I do that sometimes. I've got this thing about lyrics, and Grease was my mother's favorite show. And well, it kind of suits Ryan. Not that he'd ever say so. He only did the one musical. In Junior High. And that was only because Theresa was going to be Peppermint Patty, and he was a good Snoopy, but now she's pregnant Patty. Or pregnant Theresa. Because Patty wouldn't get pregnant, since she and Marcie are like this big lesbian couple and none of this has anything to do with anything."

Seth finally paused for breath. "Anyway, you asked about Ryan. He's got a real Danny Zuko thing going, except without being a twenty-five year old high school student. And I'm kind of a Sandy, except not, because that's my dad's name, which is weird enough. And anyway, I don't have any friends to make me over into somebody cool, well, except Summer, who I think would make a pretty good Pink Lady - she's got the coloring for it - but I'd hate to see her hanging around Marissa and Holly in jackets like that, and it doesn't matter because she's probably off having rage blackouts because I'm not there to listen to her bitch about her evil stepmother. Luke is gone, not that I care, and Ryan is gone, and he was my first real friend, and I don't live in a movie anyway. Because if I did, I would totally rewind it, back before I fucked things up with the only guy I ever loved. And it would be the extended edition, with sex in all the extra scenes."

Lex tried to extract the salient points from Seth's rambling speech. It tired him out. If Clark talked like that, he wasn't sure how long their friendship would have lasted. It didn't make him any less eager to fuck his mouth (nor would it for Clark, he suspected.) Lex had to admit. "So, Ryan and Theresa were a couple, and now she's pregnant. Is the baby his?"

"I don't think so, but it doesn't matter. He's staying with her anyway. He's got this overactive protective streak. If it wasn't her, it would be Marissa."

"I know how that goes. Always to the rescue, it's always his duty to save them, right?"

"You've got somebody like that yourself, don't you? Back wherever you're from."

"Clark, yes. I love him, but he's got a hero complex that just gets him into trouble."

"Does he love you?"

"He says so, but I know he lies a lot. And he's so young. I doubt he really knows what he wants."

'Is that why you're here with me, so you can lie too?" Damn, the kid was astute.

"Not exactly. I just wanted a lover I don't have to love. And it seemed like you wanted that too."

"Yeah, I wanted you because you don't remind me of Ryan at all, and right now I need to forget.

"And I wanted you, because you do remind me of Clark, but you're not him, and it doesn't matter if you betray me, because I won't care. You'll go home, and I'll go home, and things will either work out, or they won't, but we'll never know."

Seth made a grunt of agreement, then kissed Lex again, tongue agile and warm in Lex's mouth. They undressed each other hastily. Seth's t-shirt tossed onto the floor, Lex's button down placed more carefully on a chair.

"What do you want?" Seth asked, though he was already starting to stroke Lex's cock as it was revealed. His hands were sure, and a little bit rough, like he'd been working with them more than a rich high school boy would be expected.

"Your hands feel great, but I'd really like you to suck me." Seth nodded, and moved down Lex's body to comply. Lex had been right. His highly mobile lips were strong and almost as much of a thrill as Clark's. Lex suspected he had little real experience with guys, but he seemed eager and assertive anyway. This Ryan was obviously missing out. Lex closed his eyes, and imagined that the curls under his fingers were Clark's, the way he looked when he let his hair grow out. He tried not to pull, or thrust too hard. Seth wasn't Clark, and Lex could hurt him. He bit his lip when he came, so he wouldn't say someone else's name.

"That was wonderful," he said, when he got his breath back. Then he moved to reciprocate. Seth was responsive to the extreme, babbling nonsense, and coming quickly enough to blush. It just made Lex think of the first time he'd blown Clark, and very aware of Seth's youth.

Seth seemed to feel a little awkward, after. Like he couldn't believe what he'd done. Lex offered him the use of his shower, and said he could stay as long as he wanted. Seth came back a few minutes later, towel wrapped around his waist. His bare feet made him look fragile and young. Lex held open the bed covers for him, and waited for him to get in. It had been a good night, and he was glad for the experience. When they woke up the next morning, they would go their separate ways. Lex wondered which of them would be first to go home. 


End file.
